Season 2 of ‘The Voice’ to Open With Coaches Performing Prince Medley

Similar to the “Crazy” performance that opened Season 1, Season 2 of “The Voice” will begin with mentors Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Christina Aguilera singing a medley of Prince songs. Reporters were treated to a special sneak preview of the performance during a panel for the hit reality show at the Television Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena on Friday. The medley opens with all four singing “1999,” then slowly transitions into “Little Red Corvette,” “I Wanna Be Your Lover,” and concludes with Shelton’s country take on “Kiss.” The highlight of the video, of course is Cee Lo’s choice of attire: giant red sequined pajamas.

On this season’s talent pool: “[In Season 1] People didn’t know what to make of it,” said host Carson Daly. “They didn’t want to sit in a cattle call. But now, the level of talent was so high that working musicians, people who really want to make it who never would have stood in line for another show, sought us out. The level of talent is way way way higher.” Added Levine, “It was pretty staggering. It made our jobs really difficult.”

On the challenges this season: “It was hard this year,” Aguilera said. “This year is so versatile. On my team I have so many different kinds of genres. [It's] Not just the powerhouse belter vocatlists. It’s the people you least expect because the voice is about being moved. It’s the sounds, and being drawn to that.” Green also teased that this season will feature the show’s first rapper/MC – on Team Christina.

On being more critical this year: “There’s a difference between being critical and willfully mean,” said Levine when one reporter questioned whether or not the coaches were hard enough on contestants in the first season. “There’s a constructive way of doing it. Using the tactic, Oh you were terrible, doesn’t really get us anywhere.” This season, though, Aguilera promises more “genuine opinion.” ” We’re finding our comfort zones,” she said. “We’re diving into more critiquing.”

Other random entertaining quotes from the panel:

“Sometimes we stay stupid sh-t. And we say them on Twitter. We’re human. We all make mistakes. Sometimes more publicly than others.” — Adam Levine on his Twitter mistakes.

“I like to get drunk, get on Twitter and say stupid sh-t.” — Blake Shelton on his fondness for drunk tweets.

“I’m no stranger to being very comfortable in my own skin. As long as I’m happy in my own skin, that’s all the confirmation I need. I have a boyfriend that loves my body.” — Christina Aguilera on her body image.

“I feel like I’ve met my true family. These people are freaks.” — Blake Shelton on feeling at home with his fellow coaches.

“The Voice” premieres on a special night and time, Sunday, February 5, (10-11 p.m. ET; time approximate) following Super Bowl XLVI on NBC before returning to its regular time slot of Mondays (8-10 p.m. ET) beginning Monday, February 6.